Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1887-07-08
PhOtOgraphing a Papoose.

| had often longed for good picture
of IL Navajo baby in its native plains,
and here was an opportunity not to be
lost. says Il writer in Nature. SO,
stepping II few feet out of the way, in
an instant | had my instrument in
position. focused on the path, and.
with instantaneous snap ready, |
stood quietly for my subject to pass.
! Cn he toddied, unit he came within
about thirty feet of me, when he sud-
denly stopped. and. TO my surprise,
seemed to fully take in the situation.
At this stage | felt quite sure that one
of our babies, especially of this tender
age, would have began To cry, and
mere than likely retraccd its steps to
the hut from whence it had issued.
Not so, however. this infant Navajo;
and mark the difference. He steadily
watched my every movement. and was
evidently determined To reach the
lower hut. Very cautiously leaving
the path on the side fartiest from me,
he Was in the next instant. behind one
of the sage bushes. which was some
thing over u foot taller than the baby.
From this position he peered through
the lt.aiies, twigs ut me To see what l
would do about IL A little annoyed at
this turn of affairs, | threw the TO
clIs;ng cloth over my head and turned
(. the instrument on him. Taking ad-
vantage of this temporary conceal
ment of my head. be ran thoroughly
aby-fashion. To the next lower brush,
distance of ten feet. where. hiding rs
before. he cruuchei down and stared
al. Al.
twigs. He now looked for all the
world the Young Indian cub at bay,
with all the native instincts of his an
eestors on the alert. and making use of
all the strategy his baby mind could
muster.
1t was wonderful interesting pic
ture la study; but fearing that would
lose a permanent memento of il, |
turned to lift my instrument. with
view of taking much nearer posi-
ton, when again facing the brush
where ! had last seen the baby il was.
To my great surprise, not there, but
had >cImpered to the next lower one,
in the direction of the hut to which it
was bound. A full-grown buck of the
tribe could not possibly have managed
this last movement any better. A. il
ran Ia the still. next lower brush was
astonishesi beyond measure (fnr take
il that am u guoi stalker my self how
IL took advantages If every thing that
lay in the short intervening distance.
aud hou. after il arrived 1T the brush.
il immediately took position on the
opposit. SIDE of IL from where il corld
make another quick start and yet net
lose sight of my movements. And,
mind yntl, all this from baby only
ten i.,ontlrs old. AT the mos As il MAS
rapidly gaining its point aud approael,-
ing the lower hut. IN sheer desperation
| ran upon it. last place Of sones-sl-
tnent. ls..lslin- nav camera in stscls
way that could Immediately piAte
the tripod in position. which sue
eceslesi in doing, with the lrus directed
ut IL hr.sd, ANA iInt three feet from it,
II nuw stnod up la the full extent Of
it. baby height. and, giving vens "a a
genuine infaniiiv bawl. il masdc
break for the final point If it, l9,sti-
nation. for there WAS nothing else
left for i, tn do. IL i almost needless
to add that. before could focGs and
insert plate, my Navajo baby was
out q. range, And, fearing that its
angerc,l mother might appear At an,F
point at the cry uf alarm of her chile.
| immediately left